The untouchables
City clinch first part of possible treble as Walker says: We can be one of the greatest teams of all time
Manchester City players believe the treble would confirm them as one of the Premier League’s greatest teams after lifting the title at a jubilant Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s side sealed the first leg of their possible treble on Saturday night without kicking a ball following Arsenal’s defeat at Nottingham Forest, then extended their lead at the summit yesterday with victory over Chelsea courtesy of Julian Alvarez’s winner.
“We will celebrate and then move on to try to create history,” said City full-back Kyle Walker. “The treble would be fantastic but there is a lot of football to be played. Rest assured, we are not finished. We have the FA Cup against our bitter rivals [Manchester United] and then the Champions League.
“To say we are up there with one of the greatest Premier League teams of all time, we have to conquer some of that. To go and achieve that, [then] we could then start talking about being one of the greatest teams in the Premier League.”
Erling Haaland swore live on television during the celebrations, while Guardiola insisted afterwards the world knew the magnitude of winning five titles in six seasons. But he also warned his team to be mentally ready for the final of the FA Cup and Champions League.
After finishing the Premier League season on Sunday, City will face local rivals United in the FA Cup final on June 3, then Inter Milan in the Champions League final a week later, with the prospect of becoming the first British team to complete a European treble since United in 1999.
City clawed back Arsenal after they held an eight-point lead at the top of the table in early April before dropping points, while City kept winning. Walker pinpointed the victory over Liverpool, on April 1, as the moment City players believed they could catch Mikel Arteta’s team.
Fans invaded the Etihad pitch after the final whistle of the victory over Chelsea yesterday, with stewards clearing the playing surface for the trophy ceremony.
Former City goalkeeper Alex Williams presented them with the trophy, after players had briefly returned to the dressing room for a singalong with kitman Brandon Ashton.
“We don’t need one or two decades to pass before thinking about how good this was,” Guardiola said. “We have the feeling we have done something exceptional in terms of the Premier League but, of course, to be considered one of the greatest in Europe we have to win the Champions League, otherwise people will say our time here is not complete.
“If we cannot do it, it would not be fair to say it’s not extraordinary what we have done with five Premier Leagues in six. In world football, all managers in the Premier League, the players, sporting directors and clubs, they know how exceptional it is.”
City face Brighton on Wednesday and Guardiola has warned his players they must be mentally
ready for their cup finals, rather than celebrating the Premier League for days.
“The players have to celebrate but it’s time to rest mentally for the finals, but we have to play two more games and try to be ready,” he said. “I have the feeling we are a little tired and it’s been a long road. There’s a tendency to think it’s done but hopefully it can pass quickly and then we can prepare for Brentford and Brighton.”
Kevin De Bruyne said: “I think sometimes it’s more tough mentally than it is physically because you have to go again, again, again, but the team is hungry. I want to win more and keep going.”
And Jack Grealish said after winning his second league title: “It’s mad because I spoke to some of the lads not long ago and I said, ‘Imagine if someone would have said to you to win the league you’ve got to go and win 12 games in a row?’
“I’m not saying I didn’t think we could do it but it was going to be difficult. We’ve got so much talent in this squad and I think at the moment we feel unstoppable.”
Kalvin Phillips was given his first Premier League start for City and said Guardiola would be hailed as the best manager in the history of football if he can mastermind a treble in the next three weeks.
“Pep has won so much in his career and if he can lead us to this treble he will be a happy man and will go down as the greatest manager in the world. I don’t just want to win it for myself but also for him,” said Phillips, who admitted being out of the team had been the lowest time of his career.
“It’s been unbelievably tough, probably the lowest point confidence-wise in my career, but the leaders around me have kept me going and told me I would get my chance and luckily I did and I’m lucky I have got the guys around me to keep pushing me.”
Guardiola was able to use his second-string players, including Phillips, and save legs for the FA Cup final, with 52-goal striker Haaland brought on as a substitute in the second half.
“I feel unreal, I don’t know what to say, I’m so happy,” said Haaland after winning the title in his first season in England. “These are memories I will remember for the rest of my life, we have been fighting so hard.
“Debut season, 36 goals so far, a Premier League trophy and two finals left, not a bad start. I’m just going to enjoy this day, it’s a special moment with this trophy with these fans and the whole club.”